The 1915 routing of the Lincoln Highway through Fort Wayne, Indiana, will soon be marked with red, white, and blue markers. The [Fort Wayne] News-Sentinel reports that the new signs for the old road will be dedicated by Mayor Tom Henry on May 21, 2009. Currently the only nod to its existence are at each end of the 1915 Harrison Street Bridge, noting the distance to New York (724 miles) and San Francisco (2,660 miles).
Two weather-beaten stone signs easily missed by passing motorists, there are few visible reminders of downtown Fort Wayne’s importance to America’s first transcontinental highway….
“Now you’ll be able to drive around Allen County and know where the road was,” said [Jan Shupert-Arick,] Fort Wayne resident and author of a new book about “The Lincoln Highway Across Indiana.”…
“Right now, it can be frustrating (to find the old highway) in urban areas. There are dead-ends and other obstacles,” Shupert-Arick said, noting that the soon-to-be posted route won’t direct anyone “where it’s not safe.”…
When Henry proclaimed May “Historic Preservation Month,” he said, “We understand that moving forward into our future includes honoring our past, and we know how important it is to the vitality of our city to ensure strong revitalization efforts.”
Marker dedication will be at the Lincoln Highway Bridge—Harrison Street at the St. Mary’s River. Call (260) 427-1127 for details, or visit http://www.indianalincolnhighway.com.
Tags: bridge, Fort Wayne IN, highway marking, historic highway, historic preservation, Indiana, Lincoln Highway, Road trip
Lincoln Highway News 
May 7, 2009 at 8:04 am |
That will be great. I drove through Fort Wayne on what may or may not have been Lincoln Highway at the end of April. Signage will definitely be welcome.